What do you think of Harbhajan Singh?

[DaRick]

I agree, but I also think he's sobered up since slapgate. He was suspended from the IPL and lost around 3 crore Rupees, which is a lot. He did shoot his mouth off in the press around the time the contents of Ponting's diary were being published, but I don't blame him for that. But he's curbed his on field antics and generally concentrated on his cricket. He's got to get some credit for putting an effort into reforming himself.

I suppose. I still don't like him, though.

He could've gone without shooting his mouth off in the press, but he's not the first to do that.

 

[Noble One]

I agree, but I also think he's sobered up since slapgate. He was suspended from the IPL and lost around 3 crore Rupees, which is a lot. He did shoot his mouth off in the press around the time the contents of Ponting's diary were being published, but I don't blame him for that. But he's curbed his on field antics and generally concentrated on his cricket. He's got to get some credit for putting an effort into reforming himself.

The guy is nearing 29 years of age and has been on the international stage for 10 years. Amazing it has taken this long to learn some maturity. If he can keep his act together, he is entering what many would say is the peak age for a spin bowler.

 

[GIMH]

It's so unfair. People conveniently edit the footage just to make the poor guy look bad.

If you see the tape from the previous over, Harbhajan was enquiring as to where Pietersen got his swanky new shoes. Pietersen informed him that the shoes, while looking like the real thing, were actually crafted out of that artificial leather substitute, Naugahyde.

Harbhajan, of course, couldn't believe that such fine footwear was anything but real cowhide, hence the incredulous, "Fake Moo?!?".

Poor Harbhajan. Always getting the rough end of the stick.

Neville's not a ****, don't listen to this ABU progaganda.

He just hates Liverpool, as do all decent folk. Once he was ranting about how much he hates them and his curiously-named Dad told him to stop because he was going to get himself into trouble. Neville responded, "But i do hate them, Dad!"

When United beat Liverpool undeservedly with an injury-time goal, Neville then did this in front of the Liverpool fans. He truly is a legend.

LOL as if people hate Neville because he hates Liverpool, because Liverpool is so well-liked in this country!

 

[G.I.Joe]

The guy is nearing 29 years of age and has been on the international stage for 10 years. Amazing it has taken this long to learn some maturity. If he can keep his act together, he is entering what many would say is the peak age for a spin bowler.

Yeah, I know what you mean, but we're really judging him as a person from solely what we read of his on-field and cricket related activities, which might not be completely fair to him. There's more to him than just that. He got kicked out of the academy at a young age, lost his father at 20, and he's made a comeback from all that. He's the sole breadwinner for a family that includes his mother and five sisters. He's got three of his sisters married (the arranged marriage system is hard to work when the girl doesn't have a father), and he's vowed to not get married himself until all his sisters are taken care of completely. All that has got to count for something. That is what Matthew Hayden was referring to around the time of his retirement when he stated that Harbhajan's looked after his entire family, and he respects him for that.

 

[asty80]

semi talented , always a youngster, sachin's buddy (which ensures his future in all forms)

 

[BoyBrumby]

Its a sea change. One of the criterea used to appoint Indian captains in the past used to be fluency in English, just so there wouldn't be any hassles in interacting with the opposition captain and the media. The rest of the players just didn't need to learn an entirely new language. Its different now. Harbhajan is one who's learnt the language over the course of his career. Brett Lee is similar to a lesser degree

Indeed so. Bing's English still some way short of fluent.

 

[archie mac]

Indeed so. Bing's English still some way short of fluent.

I would have given you that when I was a kid, but now watching British TV most Poms appearing don't seem able to say TH

Thing=fing

Three=free

Think=fink

 

[Sanz]

The guy is nearing 29 years of age and has been on the international stage for 10 years. Amazing it has taken this long to learn some maturity. If he can keep his act together, he is entering what many would say is the peak age for a spin bowler.

Warnie never learnt it.

 

[Sanz]

Yeah, I know what you mean, but we're really judging him as a person from solely what we read of his on-field and cricket related activities, which might not be completely fair to him. There's more to him than just that. He got kicked out of the academy at a young age, lost his father at 20, and he's made a comeback from all that. He's the sole breadwinner for a family that includes his mother and five sisters. He's got three of his sisters married (the arranged marriage system is hard to work when the girl doesn't have a father), and he's vowed to not get married himself until all his sisters are taken care of completely. All that has got to count for something. That is what Matthew Hayden was referring to around the time of his retirement when he stated that Harbhajan's looked after his entire family, and he respects him for that.

Preaching to the wrong crowd I guess. Some massive double standards here by some people. If one started a similar thread about Warne, one could see the results overwhelmingly voting for option 1.

Same people start making excuses after excuses for Michael Slater's behavior on the field.

 

[silentstriker]

And Lehmann, or Gibbs - his comment was actually recorded. I think they are all racist bastards and would have been happy if they all left the game after the incidents. But yea, it's easy to see the double standards.

 

[Jono]

Particularly with Lehmann, who is universally loved on this board and in Australian cricket culture.

 

[Top_Cat]

Particularly with Lehmann, who is universally loved on this board and in Australian cricket culture.

Might have something to do with the fact he's well-known as a champion of players' rights, an excellent captain/man manager and a decent bloke to have a bevvy with, generally a fairly concerned sorta bloke with a fairly impeccable behavioural record prior to that incident and, most of the time, isn't a maniacal racist (something of a miracle considering he's from Elizabeth).

There's no defensible excuse for what he said and the length of the ban was pretty damn soft in my view. He also does a heck of a lot of good and, unlike many players who sink exclusively into the post-playing days of junkets, highly-paid speeches and back-slapping, Lehmann does a lot of good outside of the game and in his life.

If it's not completely fair to judge Harbhajan for what we've seen publically (and it isn't), same goes for Lehmann. Agree with G.I Joe's stance in general.

 

[Jono]

If it's not completely fair to judge Harbhajan for what we've seen publically (and it isn't), same goes for Lehmann.

I think that's the point though, isn't it?

I'm not a Harbhajan fan by any means, but there is an inconsistency, and its hypocritical.

 

[SJS]

I'm not one to defend Harbhajan, so don't get me wrong, but I think he just didn't know what the hell happened. He thought he was stumped. He's not being an asshole, he's too stupid to realise what's happened.

Yep, and I agree with some above poster - I'd much rather meet Clarke or Ponting than Harbhajan. I might have the uncontrollable urge to punch the latter's face, while the former two I can probably exchange pleasantries with without getting too pissed off.

I have no problem with someone standing at the wicket unbelieving that he had been been bowled. I have seen it happen before. But you do realise that you were after sometime and move on. What was disgraceful, however, was what he said - what he had done (stand there uncomprehending as if he couldn't imagine his impregnable defense being breached was just embarrassingly funny)

 

[Top_Cat]

I think that's the point though, isn't it?

I'm not a Harbhajan fan by any means, but there is an inconsistency, and its hypocritical.

Yeah it certainly is. But I think publicity has to take a share of the blame for the double standard. Lehmann wasn't in the press for poor behaviour before or after his incident whereas Harbhajan was. So Harbhajan is a more juicy story and therefore a bigger target. To deny this is to deny the power of the press in shaping people's views (ditto the positive stuff about Lehmann). I guess I'm saying there are other factors at play here which explain the double standard than jingoism, etc.

And Sanz, strongly suspect you're wrong about Warne. Sure there's some fanboys but many threads I've seen on here have had plenty of negative stuff about Warne from Aussie and non-Aussie posters alike.

 

[Jono]

Yeah it certainly is. But I think publicity has to take a share of the blame for the double standard. Lehmann wasn't in the press for poor behaviour before or after his incident whereas Harbhajan was. So Harbhajan is a more juicy story and therefore a bigger target. To deny this is to deny the power of the press in shaping people's views (ditto the positive stuff about Lehmann).

All true.

Can't help but think that the way SL reacted to the incident (very diplomatically, Sanath came out and said it was an isolated incident, didn't want to cause too much trouble) has resulted in less negative attention on Lehmann.

Whereas Symonds/Ponting vs. Harbhajan was clearly a head-on battle.

 

[Top_Cat]

All true.

Can't help but think that the way SL reacted to the incident (very diplomatically, Sanath came out and said it was an isolated incident, didn't want to cause too much trouble) has resulted in less negative attention on Lehmann.

Probably right. The SL team were pretty gracious and are on the record as asking the match referee to be lenient on Lehmann in the aftermath. SL clearly aren't above taking action if they feel it's warranted but I guess they figured they were taking the high road with Lehmann and more power to them, especially after the acrimony of their previous tour. It can be construed by others as weakness so there's that risk, I guess. SL definitely have been pushed around a bit more than other teams.

Rightly or wrongly, I think the Aussie players and board thought they were doing the same in the prior ODI series when Harbhajan first clashed with Symonds. All the press from the Aussies was along the 'let's put it behind us, don't let it happen again' lines. Probably explains why the Aussie contingent got all self-rightous when stuff happened again, like they really wanted to make a big deal about what happened in India. The response by the Aussie press and some current and former players made all that 'taking the high road' look pretty hollow.

 

[Sanz]

Might have something to do with the fact he's well-known as a champion of players' rights, an excellent captain/man manager and a decent bloke to have a bevvy with, generally a fairly concerned sorta bloke with a fairly impeccable behavioural record prior to that incident and, most of the time, isn't a maniacal racist (something of a miracle considering he's from Elizabeth).

There's no defensible excuse for what he said and the length of the ban was pretty damn soft in my view. He also does a heck of a lot of good and, unlike many players who sink exclusively into the post-playing days of junkets, highly-paid speeches and back-slapping, Lehmann does a lot of good outside of the game and in his life.

If it's not completely fair to judge Harbhajan for what we've seen publically (and it isn't), same goes for Lehmann. Agree with G.I Joe's stance in general.

Myself, as far as Harbhajan goes,

Players like Harbhajan and Ganguly aren't hated because they are worse human beings than the likes of Ponting, Lehman, Warne, Mcgrath etc, they are hated because they give it back in kind.

Harbhajan has had his issues and he has been punished pretty much every time. I think we all should move on, the very fact that this question has been put up is evidencw of how this forum goes when it comes to Bhajji.

 

[Sanz]

And Sanz, strongly suspect you're wrong about Warne. Sure there's some fanboys but many threads I've seen on here have had plenty of negative stuff about Warne from Aussie and non-Aussie posters alike.

I dont think I am wrong on Warne here, I have been here long enough . Bhajji is an angel compared to what Warne has done both on and off the field. But the amount of hate and abuse Bhajji gets on the forum is very very annoying at times.

 

[Burgey]

Particularly with Lehmann, who is universally loved on this board and in Australian cricket culture.

Well not by me anyway.